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Saturday, January 21, 2012

This week I have put together this kit-set 'Country Favourites' that I bought in 2009 online from the In Stitches store in NSW Australia and is a pattern by Karyn Herbert.

Was a panel of the pictures that needed cut into separate blocks, with 15 being used for the quilt-top. Then I had to create 15 of the star blocks, using machine-piecing, and lastly put it all together.

Very simple and I am very pleased with it - is a large lap quilt/throw - about 46" x 52".

I am currently using the leftover blocks and fabrics to piece a section of the backing and will add some yardage to complete that.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

In my effort to learn new techniques this year I have signed up for this series of monthly tutorials based on free motion quilting organised by the SewCalGirl site.

I hope it will give me more ideas and skills to apply to my smaller creations.

JANUARY:
This month the tutorial is about using a leaf pattern and is taught by Frances Moore.

First challenge is to find a darning foot for my 20 year old Elnita (by Elna) machine (which did not come with one), so this means I will not get started until that is sorted! But I can prepare the quilting 'sandwiches' in the meantime so they are ready to go!

I do have the fabrics - have chosen a natural calico and some other natural/neutral fabrics, and will use caramel thread for the stitching. I will just make random 'sandwiches' and then by the end of the year I am thinking I will put the blocks together to make a decorative bed-end runner for summer.

MARCH: have just finished the two foundation-based blocks for the challenge this month: the String Block (at the top) and the Broken Spiderweb - couldn't believe how easy these strip blocks were to make!

FEBRUARY: this month the blocks were Chunky Chevron (left) and Balkan Puzzle - made from squares sewn together then cut on the diagonal. Easy.

JANUARY: the technique for this month is slashed blocks - have made the Asterix block and the Wonky Pound block. This month was good practice as slashing is the technique I will use when I make my Hot Cross Buns quilt from the Moda Bakeshop pattern (once I find the polka dot fabric I need!)

FABRICS: I had a bag of ten 20" pieces of pink-based fabrics that I bought in 2010 from Kits n Things in Invercargill so decided I would use that for this quilt. I like the range of candy pink/dusky pink/plummy pinks and think it will make a gorgeous sampler quilt. Went back to KnT to buy another four 20" pieces of pink-based fabrics (and found another 20"piece of the multi-floral in the sale bin) and bought a white tone-on-tone print fabric for the contrast and sashings.